Nurse Preceptors in the 21st Century: Recommendations for Achieving Learning Outcomes of Learners

Abstract

In the 21st century, there have been several dramatically changes in technology, economy,
society, culture, and education. The higher education system focuses on human resource development
to be proficient in the academic field or profession. Presently, nursing education also emphasizes
on learning outcomes of the learners and the desirable characteristics of graduates. Teaching and
learning methods should be designed consistent with contexts and needs of the learners, which is
challenge. Particularly, clinical teaching, which directly performs with human, should design in
teaching, measuring, and evaluating learning outcomes in every domains including ethics and morals,
knowledge, cognitive skills, interpersonal skills and responsibility, numerical, communication and
information technology skills, and psychomotor skills. According to faculty member shortage, nurse
preceptor is a mechanism in improving nursing practice skills of the learners following the professional
standards. Previously, most nurse preceptors were traditionally training following the criteria of the
Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council. It seems to be nurse preceptors were insufficiently potential development until, they feel more confident in teaching and evaluating the learners. Moreover, the nurse preceptorships are not facilitating nurses to perform their roles. This article presents the importance of nurse preceptor in developing learning outcomes of learner, competencies of nurse preceptor in the 21st century, and recommendations for developing nurse preceptor in the 21st century. Therefore, if nurse preceptors were developed both individuals and policy levels which were consistent with trends of educational management and nursing curriculum will promote the achievements of the
learners in course and program learning outcomes.